Glass surfaces thrive on little to no spill or splatter. Although it is the ideal way to maintain your well-sought-out kitchen appliance, we know that it’s nearly impossible to make a minimal mess while cooking. There are a few rules of thumb to follow, and tips for the right products and supplies to use to make your life with a modern and sleek glass cooktop as easy as possible; Learn with Lee as we share tips and recommendations for cleaning glass top stoves. 

Watch how to remove stains and restore your glass cooktop surface.

Every Day Use

It’s vital to wipe any spill or splatter immediately after it hits to avoid the contents burning onto the surface. Most importantly, once the surface is cooled, the glass should be wiped down with a soft/microfiber cloth or sponge that’s moistened with vinegar, water, or lemon juice after each use to avoid deep cleaning in the future.

It’s also important to note that you should never use a scouring pad, bristle brush, or metal pad, as they can scratch the surface. Other items that can sometimes scratch the cooktop surface with movement, are cast iron cookware, and skillets/pans with rounded edge bottoms as they are rough.

Steps for everyday cleaning:

• Add a small amount of liquid cleaner to the cooktop top and quickly spread a thin layer over the surface of the stove.
• Allow the cleaner to set for about a minute. It should change from a liquid to a milky-white, dry consistency.
• Use a clean, soft cloth to wipe the top thoroughly. Pay attention to any areas that feel rough to the touch; those will be addressed in deep cleaning.
• Once the cleaner has been removed, wipe down the surface of the stove again using a dry soft cloth.
• The stovetop should feel smooth. If not, repeat the process.

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Deep Cleaning

If after preparing and enjoying a meal, you’ve forgotten to wipe down the cooktop, you will most likely have leftover, burnt, or stuck-on stains that need a bit more attention. While it may be tempting to use a traditional "glass cleaner" like Windex, avoid using these as they can damage the glass and release ammonia. What you can and should use to get the "gunk" and grime off your glass cooktop, are nonabrasive cleaners paired with a soft, dry cloth to extract the buildup. Nonabrasive cleaners such as Bar Keepers Friend Cooktop Cleaner and Cerama Bryte Cooktop Cleaner paired with a soft cloth or a good old Mr. Clean Magic Eraser should do the job. If the burnt stains are not budging, Weiman Cook Top Cleaner & Polish Kit and Affresh Cooktop Cleaning Kit come with a special scraper to directly remove the residue. While using a scraper is a highly debated topic in the cleaning of glass stove tops, using a special scraper that is in the glass cooktop cleaner kit used carefully and correctly, is recommended for stubborn, burnt-on cases. If the steps listed below, do not work for your glass cooktop, browse all of your glass cooktop options supplied by Lee here.

Steps for deep cleaning:

• If you have a scraper, now's the time to put it into action. Gently scrape any food, residue, or burnt-on stains from the glass until it's completely removed.
• Apply the liquid cleaner to the stained area, but don't let it dry. For burnt-on stains, the cleaner is used as a lubricant instead.
• Use a clean, soft cloth to wipe the top thoroughly. The stovetop should feel smooth and look polished; if not, click here to browse your cooktop options supplied by Lee.

Sources: GE Appliances, Architectural Digest, HGTV, Whirlpool - Chef Ann